SECURITY forces killed 54 terrorists in a series of counterterrorism operations across Balochistan after three major coordinated attacks over four days left 42 security personnel and civilians martyred. Addressing a Press conference, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the dead terrorists — most of them Afghan nationals — belonged to the Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij, a term used for the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Credit must be given to valiant personnel of the security forces, who are offering supreme sacrifices in addressing the challenge thrown by the renewed wave of terrorism in Balochistan where law-enforcers, innocent labourers from other province, tourists, development projects and state symbols are being targeted under a foreign-sponsored plan to destabilise Pakistan. The very fact that 54 terrorists were neutralized in four days speaks volumes about alertness and determination of the security forces to counter nefarious designs of anti-state elements and their foreign masters. However, it is also a fact that securing each and every possible target was beyond the capacity of the security forces and a review of the strategy assumes urgency in view of frequency and intensity of attacks by the banned outfits. This is highlighted by an attack on an Army convoy travelling in the Bela-Winder area along the N-25 highway on Wednesday in which a junior commissioned officer and ten soldiers embraced martyrdom. Similarly, 18 security personnel were martyred in the continuing operation in Ziarat where terrorists launched a multi-directional attack on a police check-post guarding Pumping Station No 3 of Mangi Dam. Four civilians were martyred and six others injured when terrorists attacked the local population in Hanna Urak. The way the local residents fought back valiantly shows the anti-terror campaign is gaining support of the local population, a trend that can turn the tide against terrorists who flourish on false propaganda against the state. The DG ISPR reiterated that India was behind the recent wave of terrorism in the province, adding that hostile elements could not tolerate Pakistan’s progress and stability. He also pointed out that the Afghan Taliban regime was providing manpower to terrorist groups operating against Pakistan, adding Pakistan will take on each and every terrorist, their facilitator, those who harbour them, those who furnish them and those who provide them bases. His statement about involvement of Afghanistan in harbouring acts of terrorism in Pakistan is also confirmed by the fact that most of the dead terrorists were Afghan nationals. There was absolute clarity on the part of the Government and the Pakistan Army on how to deal with the problem and this was underlined by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir during his address to the participants of a war course. He declared that terrorism emanating from across the borders will be crushed with the full might of the state. He stressed that the defence forces, with the support of the nation, would ensure that terrorist sanctuaries of these proxies, along with their facilitators, were completely dismantled. In a related development, the All Parties Conference (APC) convened by the PTI on Balochistan called for resolving the long-standing challenges in the province through dialogue. It is, however, regrettable that the declaration adopted by the APC as well as speeches made by the participants are reflective of a clear bias against the state and a lack of maturity as they failed to speak against those who are carrying out attacks against security personnel and development projects as well as infrastructure facilities. This approach will not solve the problem and instead complicate the situation further. However, rhetoric of the APC is understandable as it was attended by the opposition parties that have their own grievances against the Government.
